Field
The present disclosure is generally related to the use of fractal radiofrequency coils for magnetic resonance imaging.
Background
Conventional RF coils designed for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have various geometrical shapes such as a circular loop, saddle loop, or birdcage shape. In response to demands to obtain images with higher spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, 3T MRI has become a clinical reality in order to answer complicated questions and to leverage the transfer of research methods into useful clinical applications. Current research at 7T MRI appears to have the potential for microscopic spatial resolution visualizing anatomy previously unseen and additionally may enable the observation and analysis of tissue metabolism and function is under ongoing development. A new concept for RF coil also has been designed to keep pace with higher resonance frequencies used at 3 or 7T. The patch antenna design for MRI proposed by Brunner et al (2009) is a representative example of such development (Brunner D O, De Zanche N, Frohlich J, Paska J, Pruessmann K P. Travelling-wave nuclear magnetic resonance. Nature. 2009; 457:994-998, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety).